JosephH

I've taken a 30 footer on a #3 - works for me and way, way better than no pro at all...

You're welcome guys, but it's mostly a matter of rabid self-interest - not that I'd turn down any assistance or anything... The 'traditional' p1 won't be getting pins replaced, but the two other direct starts probably will. With regard to the 'Second Wind' bolts, the only fixed protection work done to-date has been belay/rap anchors and all the pins - no protection bolts have been touched, surveyed, or otherwise checked. Doing so on any scale at all would probably require a discussion with the BRSP and approval of a replacement project plan similar to the Anchor Replacement Project. Also, I'd comment that some of those really old 1/4" bolts are damn stout - particularly the buttonheads - but anything with an SMS plated hanger is probably pretty damn suspect. The bolts on 'Second Wind' aren't the most inspiring, but I believe they felt pretty solid when I tapped them on my way by. YMMV however... I looked at a direct start as well. Like you said thin and stout. You could borrow my Loweballs and Crack 'N Ups if you were going to give it a go.

Hi guys. Ivan, Geoff, and Farrgo, once again, way to get after some of the coolest lines out there. Unless I have it wrong, though I'm pretty sure, this line is 'Takes Fists': And turning the roof could certainly take fists and some larger cams. I cleaned the p2 pitch out thoroughly two (or was it three) weeks ago and some of the lower slabs in between then and now. But I've been sick since then and haven't been able to get out at all to finish the job (with anyone willing if you have the time). Jim and I went over things when I was last out and we have permission from the BRSP to clean and restore the p1 lines under the columns, but the basic plan is still the same as it has been. The first step was dealing with all the really bad mid and top anchors on South Face Column lines which is done (except for 'Flightime'); second is cleaning out the routes themselves which is underway; and last is cleaning up the first pitch approach lines - particularly those under the central South Face roof pitches. Jim also knows where a few of the bootied pins need to be restored on the p1 routes. I just need the chance to get back out and hang ropes on the GZ and TF mid anchors so we can finish the job of cleaning up the approach p1 lines in the area bounded by this line on the West (up the small, black dihedral under the 'Flying Swallow' anchor and angling down and East): And this line to the East (Under 'Dirty Double Overhang' and angling down and West): [ Note the line of now-cleaned shrubberies down the length of 'Takes Fists' p2... ] The bottom line is there isn't much point putting all the energy into in cleaning out the South Face column p2 pitches without insuring there is somewhat decent access to them via the p1 lines. We've discussed this for several years now and sort of dabbled with it in the past, but now dealing with the p1's under the roofs (including 'Nuke-U-Later') is definitely on the radar and underway to be followed by finishing thoroughly cleaning out all the p2 lines from 'Flightime' on through to 'Double Dirty Overhang'. Also, I didn't give 'Second Wind' the cleaning it deserved back when I was on it (2005/6ish), but it was during the sweep to check all the pins on the p2 column lines from 'Flying Swallow' across the South Face to the right - the bad ones were either reset or replaced with pins off the spare pin rack John Middendorf ebayed back in 2004. So if you run into a pin from 'Flying Swallow' to 'Jill's Thrill' it should be good - but do give a shout if you run across one you think I missed.

When you're only going to have hair for so long like Bill and I, you kind of like to put it out there while you still can - it's an old school thing...

Ozone, by and large, is comprised of highly fractured basalt and it only takes a momentary glance at it to establish that fact. Any expectations that routes there (or anywhere) should be solid and 'well constructed' are entirely misplaced and naive. The warning shouldn't come from a guide, but rather arrive as some form of [instant] recognition around the reality of what you are looking at when you walk down there. Anyone incapable of such a basic evaluation of rock (and belaying accordingly) probably doesn't belong out there.

Republicans don't think regulation is bad - hell, they positively love regulation if you're talking regulating people's thoughts and bodies, as opposed to their finances which is clearly off-limits.

People these days don't vote issues or even their wallet - they vote solely based on their social identity. That is the true genius of Rovian electology - split them on social identity using race and religion. That this is even a remotely close election tells you the strategy is still working fine and that people are predictably and hypnotically dumb as a stump every four years.

I agree with this part... I decidely don't agree with this part, however.

it's like, so '19 Seconds Ago'

Probably not this week as we're trying to get the girl off to UW for college. The weekend on I'm good though...

Ivan, I'm more than happy letting you lead, I'm more concerned with route restoration on any such mission and I can do that seconding...

Dude, you are the wily devil, but if you're going to be heading up these old lines then give me a shout - no sense doing them twice in order to get them cleaned out and old fixed pro checked and replaced if necessary. I can either go up with you or give you the gear to get the job done right while you're up there. P.S. I have a shitload of Loweballs, beaks, and Crack 'n Ups that could be used in the process as well.

Andy, is that basalt or granite?

I'd say for rock and earthwork a prybar, stout short square shovel, and even a big heavy tree dibble might all be in order, but for moss, a prybar seems a bit heavy-handed to me in terms of it leaving a lot of scratch marks (on basalt vs granite) - but again, it really depends on the overall conditions of the crag, rock, and moss. And the scale and scope of the effort also certainly plays a role as well on how much heavy-handedness is appropriate or unavoidable. I try to be conservative about not to leaving a lot of deep scratch marks if at all possible hence the brass and plastic tools.

It depends on the kind of moss and how much of it. If there is lots of it than your, going to have to step it up with some garden or farm implements. If it's largely a 'hand job', and the moss is thick, coming off in big sheets or clumps, then a plastic putty knive work great for helping the stubborn ones come up. And regardless of how you move the bigger stuff, the two brushes below are are great for cleaning up the remnants. And as Ivan noted, skip the steel bristle brushes on basalt. Deluxe Grid Brush / Bar-B-Que and Grill Department - $9.99 Quckie Heavy Duty Scrub Brush (Stiff, Coarse Bristles) / Cleaning Supplies Department - $3.98 =========================== No Picture Available =========================== Economy 2" Putty Knife (Black Plastic) / Paint Department - $0.88

Seen the movie '300'? Hopefully it will just be a beer-soaked floor by the end of the night. Now I'm clearly no Oracle, but me? I'd tell'em to brace for the worst best case scenario, staff big, fire up the burners, lay in a few extra kegs, and then at about 4:45, lash themselves to the foremasts. It's gonna be a rough ride...

There was a mama black bear and three cubs out quite a bit three years ago. She'd bring the kids down from Hamilton across the tracks just east of the Corner, walk them down the tracks towards the boat lauch to fish and then walk them back. Cougars would have a long tail compared to a Bobcat. So does the Lucky Lab have even the slightest idea how many people are going to descend upon them? Someone might really want to give them a heads up that they're going to be entertaining some serious traffic...

There is a very large Bobcat out and about there. Haven't seen it for a bit. Glad to hear the flyer is up in the right case. If you've got a bigger one they'd be happy to swap them. Not sure putting one up on a tree or the lower sign would go over with them however.

Oh, and Kevin, yes I am coming to the event. At first I thought I wouldn't be able to because will be my daughters birthday, but then, I remembered she's starting college up in UW so I will be free to come - ah, empty nesting...

Thanks Bill, but now that I think about Kevin's comment I better call Ben and check that he put it up in the one by the trail and not the one over on the front of the office...

I made the mistake of giving it to him to put in his car before we did the Corner. Afterwards he forgot and it was on his backseat for a couple of days. He called and profusely apologized and got it up late Tuesday.

Just a note that Ben did get Jim's copy of the flyer up in the board at Beacon...

"Free Market" voodoo as practiced by corporations and republicans is and has always been based on the principle of preventing and dismantling government oversight of corporations. This administration systematically gutted pretty much every cabinet agency and our entire civil service system to boot. Beyond that they have successfully executed a program to dismantle States' consumer protection and oversight rights (States' Rights - surely you on the right remember those out-dated concepts...) of the banking, financial, and insurance industries. The only State oversight right that remains due to their inability to get to it in time is oversight of the insurance industry. The net result? Consumers are being relentlessly screwed, industry by industry, at every turn and it will take a decade to restore even a fraction of the protections consumers once had. Likely not in this lifetime if McCain appoints two more radical right, federalist activists to SCOTUS. A friend of mine who worked at FASB got his PhD in accounting doing his dissertation on the role of government oversight in business. The principle theme of the dissertation which emerged from his research? 'Corporations, absent appropriate government oversight, are indistinguishable from organized crime.' Freddie and Fannie's management, boards, auditors, and regulators all essentially committed fraud at the behest of the administration to keep the real estate bubble propped up, which in turn kept the economy going during the 'War on Terror'. That's the danger of running large-scale private/government hybrids - they are subject to 'regulation' which instead ends up being implemented as 'policy'. And that 'policy' is always politicized to support those in power regardless of the party in control. In this case the fraud wasn't even hidden but was entirely out in the open. Freddie, Fannie Scam Hidden in Broad Daylight

Way to get after it guys. I think most folks don't realize all the value and adventure Beacon offers if you step off the beaten track. Plenty of amazing times to be had out there if you look, or if you just jump on something unfamilar.

Ben came to Beacon to climb. He had shoes, harness, helmet, and a couple of sessions in the gym before coming here and climbing was one of the main reasons he applied for John's job. He's also is from Camas and had been trying to get back home. Add to that, he said if he had his way, he'd spend his entire WSP career at Beacon. Bottomline? Ben is going to be with us for a very long time and is going to be climbing whether we like it or not, and whether we take him or not. The only question is who introduces and orients him to climbing? If it's not us that takes him, then it's going to be someone who isn't us. Possibly some other law enforcement types or some psycho-SAR crew. Is that really what you folks want? And given he's likely going to be here on the order of decades, I'd personally say everyone will be a lot better off with as decent a relationship as possible with him than an adversarial one. And actually, he's a good kid, he means well, he's trying to do the right things, but he's still young - better we help and hope he learns and that he'll mellow and end up more like John over time, rather than end up someone who is less accomodating, alienated, and/or even hostile. To some extent the choice is ours. As far as his potential as a climber goes; I, like many of you, have taken a lot of folks up the Corner over the years - he was a bit surprising in that he solidly floated it - fast, casually, and relaxed, first time outdoors - seemed almost like YW might actually have been a better choice for a first climb. Again, he's climbing with or without us. Given that, and all in all, for me this falls under a life category not that much different than "we're here, we're queer (or straight in this case), get used to it..." and the onus is on us to decide, one way or the other, how this relationship is going to play out both now and in the future - we either make the relationship work, or, my guess anyway, is in the long run it isn't going to go so great in general as years roll by. Me? I'll be gone in a couple of years, you folks will still be here and I'm simply suggesting you consider what you want your future to look like. Sure, you aren't going to be partying hard with him - that's clearly a poor choice for all concerned - but I think everyone should all be able to find a way to get along and not play out another adversarial decade. Or not, I suppose. P.S. I gave Ben Jim's copy of the O-event poster this morning and he said he'd post it up in the case - still, it probably wouldn't hurt to put one up down the trail somewhere as well.